The emphasis here is astro-archeology to explain our understanding of our past and present in the hope of identifying our future. This will include activities on the Earth, Moon and Mars. In addition to this, we will also include previous subjects such as: Warp Drive, confirmation of the Higgs-Boson particle, progress with nuclear hybrid reactors and other developments. STAIF II proposes to look at these scientific subjects with some interesting variations. For example, the NASA Eaglewood is focusing upon developing a warp drive and other research. This advanced research should be supported by the aerospace community and look into the possibility of making a warp drive within the century. We are also interested in defining the value of the Higgs-Boson particle with reference to energy, communication or use in space propulsion. STAIF II is always interested in new presentations regarding gravitation and energy generation strategies. New cosmological discoveries are also of interest.

The April 16-18, 2015 Conferences/Sessions with chairs and co-chairs under consideration were as follows:

There are unusual events that exist on the Earth, the Moon and Mars. Some of these artifacts represent the past as in the pyramids of Bosnia and Egyptian artifacts as well as some discoveries found on imagery of the Moon as well as Mars. Some of these events, based upon prehistory, tend to suggest an advanced civilization as well as extraterrestrial activities. If mankind is to understand what our purposes are in the future, we need to understand the past and the present to gain insights on ourselves and the cosmos.

Recent advances in physics have looked at the possibility of new types of particles that may exist and are under current investigation. For instance, WIMPS are particles that supposedly exist as Dark Matter. After several years of investigation, no WIMPS have yet been identified. Does this mean there is no Dark Matter and if so, how does this bear upon the need for more gravitational mass throughout the cosmos? Other investigations of Kosyrev’s telescope experiments would also be of interest with the ability of looking at the past, present and future with regards to space mechanics. The potential uses of plasma and magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) to support advanced propulsion or energy production are also of concern.

This session is open to discussion of all aspects of plasmas including ignition, containment, transmission and applications. Other papers of interest may focus upon unusual nuclear propulsion and energy concepts.

STAIF II generated a large body of literature concerning high frequency gravitational waves (HFGWs). Low Frequency Gravitational Waves (LFGW) with LIGO and aspects of gravity detection/quantification to study gravitational waves are of significant interest. Moreover, the physics community agrees that Einstein’s laws allow for the description of gravity as a hyperbolic partial differential equation. If this is the case, what is the necessary evidence and what are the parameters of interest? Is there any evidence of gravitational anomalies such as concerning the PIONEER, when there was a sudden change and near constant value for gravity at a distance of greater than 30 AU? Similar effects were observed with regard to three other satellites which have traveled to considerable differences. Moreover, given new data on the moons of Neptune, a recent technical paper indicates that conventional gravitation fails and may actually involve the PIONEER anomaly as well. For example, spinning neutron stars or jets from black holes may be generating repulsive gravitation. What is the evidence? What are the physical principles that might allow this to occur? Some papers in this session will also focus on using unification of electromagnetic concepts that might impact gravitational waves as proposed by Gertsenshtein. Other interests include gravitational waves as they may be used for: propulsion, imagery, mapping or communications.

This Conference will examine advanced technology to support the above technical disciplines such as environmental effects or space mechanics. The objective is to develop requisites for technologies dealing with the near-abroad with reference to propulsion, gravitational waves and gravitational models as well as space weather. For example, can the model of a pulsar be developed that may provide insights to create a space propulsor? Objectives will also include technologies to support the far-abroad within the solar system and distant galaxies. Other topics to consider will include approaches that may provide insights for advanced propulsion such as unusual pulsar dynamics and the general character of the space environment. Other topics include mitigating the Near Earth Objects (NEO) originating from the Ort Cloud, the asteroid belt from Mars and Jupiter, and also from the Sun.

This Conference focuses upon analysis used to support the technological disciplines that would contribute to improved NASA TRL standards. Participants will present studies to evaluate these technologies and indicate their potential for the future.

This session also evaluates unusual experiments that are enigmas from the standpoint of conventional wisdom. Many of these are associated with superconductivity. For example, this includes the Podkletnov experiments as well as the recent work in Austria in cryogenics. In general experiments will be presented in which physical evidence challenges conventional wisdom and may support a paradigm shift.

We are looking beyond incremental improvements to existing propulsion technology with the objective of getting into space in an affordable, greener and more advanced way. We need to examine both fringe and mainstream thinking that will allow the existence of a warp drive in a decade. Some imaginative experiments have produced anomalous results that appear to contradict the current paradigm. One Russian approach utilizes a rotating magnetic device. Another recent device exhibited changes in weight, both losses and gains that could not be accounted for under standard assumptions. These devices and at least some of the other magnetic-based inventions seem to act as transducers; the question arises as to whether they are tapping into the ZPE.

Other unconventional devices will be considered such as magnetic devices that were observed to levitate when an experimenter accidentally shorted the output. Other inventors claim a consistent COP greater than 1.0 and can use a version of this device to charge an electric car. These claims have some credibility based on contemporary observations by skilled engineers and could conceivably form the basis of advanced propulsion schemes.

Inventions are a form of art and the best ones feature a large intuitive component. The inventor of the Magnetic Energy Converter mentioned above had a dream about a magnetic tornado and translated the image into a mechanical and electrical equivalent. We need to seriously examine unconventional concepts and identify the solution paths to find results. This session will also include “interesting failures” and “interesting physical phenomena” that defy conventional assumptions.

The stars spread out in glory across the night sky of our childhood. The universe, an endless wealth of unanswered questions, lay before us. Some instinct moved our forebears to cross oceans and continents. That instinct moves us now.

The time has come for human beings to colonize other worlds. The human landing and settlement of the Mars system will be a watershed event in human history. It is the logical next step after the Apollo Moon landings. For the first time humans will journey across deep space and set foot upon another living world. This key challenge defines a new millennium. The attainment of Mars requires a quantum leap in space flight technology and imagination.

Advanced propulsion technologies are under development, but additional methods of transportation should be explored. Supplies could be brought to Mars via unmanned, automated vehicles. In best case human transport requires warp or teleportation technology.

The colony requires a reliable power plant. Concepts exist that do not utilize plutonium. It would be highly desirable to achieve control over gravity in both directions. Antigravity is useful for moving about on the surface of a planet; the establishment of Earth normal gravity is desirable for long term residence on Mars.

When the time comes to explore nearby star systems, it will be desirable to establish normal gravity on the vessels that are used.

The circumstances of colonization should be considered. In the past it has been assumed that the colony will be established upon the surface of Mars and managed by a bureaucracy on Earth. These assumptions are unnecessary and alternatives can be found. Living underground, the colonists would have access to the surface but they would be shielded from temperature extremes, sand storms and radiation.

Recycling technologies will be of great importance. The Martian ecosystem is more delicate than Earth’s. If it is to support human life it must be protected.

The colony would benefit from self reliance and genetic diversity. The challenges to which the colony would be exposed are unpredictable. No conceivable rule set can accommodate them; problem solving skills would be required. The practice of having a bureaucracy on Earth decide what humans will do in space is far from optimal. It is entirely conceivable that innovations in social structure could be developed on Mars or other planets and imported to benefit life on Earth.

We seek technical papers that will develop mission concepts and strategies to address these key issues of Mars and settlement upon other planets.

The Environmental Sciences Section explores game-changing technologies to remediate the environment for Earth as well as planets. This conference addresses climatic and environmental Black Swan events that fall outside the limits of statistical prediction. The frequency of environmental Black Swans is increasing, creating situations in which multiple challenges must be dealt with simultaneously—a kind of 'Mega-Black-Swan' event.

This conference aggressively investigates any outlying technology or strategy directed towards solving problems such as weather control, pollution abatement (as in the recent B.P. disaster), and the Daiichi nuclear reactor tragedy. Papers will review green/clean energy solutions, alternative practices, effective philosophies of communication, and social integration. We would span the hard sciences as well, as not leaving any philosophic stone unturned with respect to solutions to our current dire state. Moreover, this section will focus on applications and theory that can mitigate, solve, or eradicate environmental threats and identify leading indicators of environmental collapse. This section is solution oriented, seeking fixes that may be available in the advanced sciences.

With recent LENR developments, the paradigm can change the way energy can be produced from an individual to society level capability. These developments are not mature and require additional work such as extensive testing and evaluation as well as a better foundation to the theory. If these approaches are real, what are the other bounds that are required? Does LENR replace hot nuclear fission or fusion?